The Ashes 2025-26: England cricket team suffered a humiliating exit from the Ashes series in 2025-26. The team was defeated by 5 wickets in the final Test match of the series. On the fifth day of the final Test, played in Sydney, Australia chased down the target of 160 runs, losing only 5 wickets in the second session. With this victory, the Australian team clinched the series 4-1.
In this Sydney Test match, England won the toss and elected to bat first. The team scored 384 runs, thanks to Joe Root's 160. In reply, Australia scored 567 runs, with Travis Head scoring 163 and captain Steve Smith 138, giving them a lead of 183 runs. England's second innings ended at 342 runs, with Jacob Bethell scoring 154. This gave England a lead of 159 runs, setting Australia a target of 160 runs. And the target was achieved by the Australians on the fifth day, losing five wickets in 31.2 overs.
Bazball Cricket Failed Again
This is not just a defeat for England, but it also marks the burial of Bazball in Australia. Unlike traditional Test cricket, the Bazball style has ruined the England team over the past few years. It's not that England hasn't had any success with the Bazball approach, but the failures far outweigh the successes. This is a direct result of coach Brendon McCullum's failed experiment, which led to their humiliating defeat in the Ashes series. England's loss in Sydney was a direct consequence of their reliance on Bazball.
Complete Domination of Australia
Australia dominated the entire Ashes series of 2025-26. England lost the series after losing the first three matches. It's not that England didn't play well, but their 'Bazball' approach ultimately proved to be their undoing. This was particularly evident in the first Test match played in Perth, where England, after scoring 172 runs in their first innings, bowled Australia out for just 132. They had a golden opportunity to set a large target against the Australian team, but they failed to capitalize. England could only manage 164 runs in their second innings, giving the hosts a target of 205 runs, which they chased down on the second day of the match, losing only 5 wickets in the process.
This story wasn't limited to Perth; the England team also faltered badly in the Brisbane Test against Australia. In Brisbane, the team had several opportunities to fight back, but they squandered them all. Whether it was batting or bowling, England surrendered on every front against Australia in Brisbane. England suffered an 8-wicket defeat in Brisbane. The third Test match of the series was played in Adelaide, where England was again defeated, this time by 82 runs.
After losing three consecutive matches, the England team made a strong comeback in the Boxing Day Test. Following this victory, it seemed England was back on track, but then they suffered another setback in Sydney. In the Boxing Day Test match, England thrashed Australia by 4 wickets. This was a historic victory for England in Melbourne. In this match, England dominated Australia in both batting and bowling.
Player of the Series: Mitchell Starc (AUS). A remarkable series for the left-armer. Mitchell Starc started the series with a bang, taking 10 wickets in Perth as Australia blew England away inside two days. He added 6-75 in the first innings at Brisbane while also contributing crucial half-centuries in both the second and third Tests.
Mitchell Starc's in Ashes 2025-26
Matches: five, wickets: 31, average: 19.93, strike-rate: 29.6; runs: 156
Ashes 2025-26 Results
First Test: Perth Stadium, November 21-22 (Australia won by eight wickets)
Second Test: Gabba, December 4-7 (Australia won by eight wickets)
Third Test: Adelaide Oval, December 17-21 (Australia won by 82 runs)
Fourth Test: MCG, December 26-30 (England won by 4 wickets)
Fifth Test: SCG, January 4-8 (Australia won by 5 wickets).
